Treatment of gladiolus corms



eliminated from the corms whereby the parasite g ng g y-m- Patented Dec. '7, 1943 V I c TREATMENT OF GLADIOLUS CORMS George 1:. Lynn and Fred w. Fletcher, Midland.

Mich., assignors to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich, a corporation of Mlehh I No Drawing. Application June 13,1941, Serial No. 398,548

4 Claims. (CI. 47-58) The present invention is concerned with a per cent. A substantially complete control of method for improving the blooming properties of thrip infestation was observed for each lot of gladi'oli and is particularly directed to increasing fumigated corms.

the yield of marketable blooms by treating gladi- The fumigated and check corms were then olus corms prior to planting. 5 planted side by side in a randomized plot, on Among the problems associated with the comuniform sandy loam. No significant difference mercial growing of gladioli is that of obtaining between the viability of' the treated and una maximum number of marketable spikes during. treated corms was observed. The number of the normal blooming season of the, plant. Many blooms put forth by the plants growing from the otherwise desirable varieties are not commer- 1o corms of each lot was tallied throughout the cially practicable because of thelrpoor bloomgrowing season. The following table sets forth ing characteristics. It is an object of the present the results with respect to yield in terms of marinvention to increase the blossom productivity of ketable flower spikes: v gladiol'us. Table We have discovered that the blooming properties of many varieties of gladioli are materially improved by the treatment'of the cured galiolus com with methyl bromide prior to planting.

This treatment is conveniently carried out by vm fumigating the corms prior to planting whereby a stimulation is accomplished resulting in the production of gladiolus plants which yield many more marketable flower spikes than are obtained from untreated corms. As an incidental result, thrips and other insect pests are substantially 1.! methyl bromide for i000 cubic feet or 5 hours 2.0! methyl bromide fir i000 cubic feet 5 hours 2.0! methyl bromide per 1M0 cubic feet or 3 hours 2.5! methyl bromide per 1000 cubic feet or 3 hours Control Cars Mia Gold Eagle..- 1:? 155 population of the gladiolus plants and blooms is materially reduced. The methyl bromide treatm ment has no apparent eflect upon the viability of the corms. v I so 'we'claim:

. In carrying out the invention the cormsare introduced into anysuitable fumigating chamber gladloli comprising the steps of fumigating the and subjected to the methyl bromide vapors. cured gladiolus corms fora period oftime and r uo era-a ia:

1. A process for improving the blooming of The optimum concentration of the fumigant emwith a concentration of methyl bromide suflicient Ployed and the duration ofthe treatment varies a to cause stimulation but insumcient to injure the with the P 11 V r ety sl iolus 0ncorms, and thereafter planting. the corms..

cerned. As little as 0.5 pound of methyl bromide 2. A process for improving the blooming of 7 per 1000 cubic feet has been found to give the gladioll comprising the steps of fumigating the desired result and as much as 5 pounds per 1000 cured gladiolus corms with methyl bromide at a cubic feet has been employed Witho 111 t concentration between 0.5 pound per 1,000 cubic the corms. The amounts are not critical and feet and the maximum tolerated by the parsomewhat greater or lesser concentrations of ticular variety of gladloli under treatment, and

methyl bromide maybe employed with more or thereafter planting the corms.

less hardy varieties. The period of exposure 7 3. A process for improving the blooming of varies somewhat with the concentration of gladioli comprising the steps of fumigating the methyl r m d p y nerally from cured gladiolus corms with methyl bromide at about 2 to 5 hears treatment is sumcient. a concentration between 0.5 and 5 pounds per In one representative treatment. the cormsof 1,000 cubic feet.

6 varieties of gladiolus were iumigated with 4. A process for "improving the blooming of methyl bromide. 5 lots of each variety, each lot 5 gladioli comprising the steps of fumigating th'e' containing '15 corms, were employed. One lot cured gladiolus corms with methyl bromide at a of each variety was employed as a control. The concentration between 0.5 and 5 pounds per 1,000 remaining 4 lots were subjected to treatment cubic feet for an exposure period not to exceed with methyl bromide at 1.5 and 2 pounds per 5 hours and varying inversely with the concen- 1000 cubic feet for 5 hours exposure period and tration of methyl bromide employed.

at 2 and 2.5 pounds per 1000 cubic feet for 8 hours exposure period. All treatments were Y I GEORGE E. LYNN. made at I". and at a relative humidity of i0 FRED FLETCHER. 

